


Growing Into Oneself

by MelyndaR



Series: Don't Fear the Fall [2]
Category: Star Trek: Voyager
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-11-23
Updated: 2019-11-25
Packaged: 2021-02-26 21:07:37
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 2,396
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21535333
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/MelyndaR/pseuds/MelyndaR
Summary: “And what about those that will come after you?” the captain asked Naomi. “Should they have to face the same prejudice you do?”
Relationships: B'Elanna Torres & Naomi Wildman, Kathryn Janeway & Naomi Wildman, Naomi Wildman & Samantha Wildman
Series: Don't Fear the Fall [2]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1552054
Comments: 2
Kudos: 19





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This takes place over a month after "Mudbloods."

“Naomi?” Naomi shrank back against the transporter console as her mother’s confused gaze landed on her face. “It’s time to go.”

Naomi bit her lip, resisting the urge to shake her head as Ensign Wildman gestured towards the transporter pad. She didn’t move to join her mom and the others, though, and even Ensign Kim, from beside her at the transporter console, gave her a baffled look. Captain Janeway, Lieutenant Torres, and Lieutenant Paris were all staring at her, too, waiting for her to join them so they could leave, and her heartrate started to increase.

“It’s been a while since you’ve been to an inhabited planet, hasn’t it?” Lieutenant Paris asked. “Don’t you want to see something new, meet new people?”

Naomi shook her head, staying mute.

“Why not?” he pressed. “You’re always very outgoing when new people board Voyager.”

“That’s part of my job as captain’s assistant,” Naomi explained briefly.

“But you don’t want to go down to other people’s turf,” Lieutenant Torres said.

Naomi nodded, hating her assessing gaze, and the feeling that Lieutenant Torres _knew_ why she was so nervous to beam down.

Her suspicion was proved correct when Lieutenant Torres added, “Because aboard Voyager, we protect our own, and on a planet anything can happen.” She stepped off the transporter pad, and into Naomi’s space, murmuring, “Like it did last time you beamed down.”

Naomi swallowed, nodding.

The captain had stayed silent, her eyes narrowed upon Naomi in thought, until now. She stepped down too, holding Naomi’s gaze steadily as she asked, “Do you know why you’re captain’s assistant?”

Naomi shook her head.

“Because I consider it something of a… trial course. An up close and personal view of the job you want to have one day. My job, if I’m correct?” The captain waited for Naomi to nod nervously before she continued, “It’s good practice at points, and it’s becoming a good way for me to get to know you, besides, don’t you think?”

Again, Naomi nodded, waiting, it felt, for the other shoe to drop.

“Would you like to know something promising that I’ve noticed about you?”

“What?” Naomi asked carefully.

“You are a natural leader, Naomi Wildman, and you are _capable_ of being the best kind of leader – a selfless leader. So, I’m going to point something out to you that no one in this room is going to like. You are a very strong girl, and capable of facing difficult things when it’s necessary, and that’s a good thing, because as you go through life, there are going to be people who dislike you, just because of who you are as a person of… mixed background.”

“I know,” Naomi said, a little sullen, and suddenly just as aggravated.

“I know you understand that. But what I don’t think you’ve considered in its entirety is the fact that you’re not alone in that.”

“I know that, too,” Naomi replied, glancing at Lieutenant Torres.

“And what about those that will come after you?” the captain asked. “Should they have to face the same prejudice you do?”

Naomi pursed her lips, glancing again at Lieutenant Torres – this time at her midsection, where it had been slowly expanding as her unborn child grew. She swallowed past the lump that rose in her throat and the cramp of pain wrenching her insides, then shook her head. She knew – as did everyone else – that she, along with the whole crew, didn’t want that for Lieutenants Paris’ and Torres’ baby.

“What can be done about it, then?” Captain Janeway asked. “Someone has to normalize it, to show others that people like yourself, B’Elanna, and her baby are no different than anyone else, and are just as valid.”

“How?” Naomi asked, hating how small her voice was.

“Sometimes it can be as simple as just showing up,” B’Elanna said factually, picking up where the captain had left off when Captain Janeway glanced in her direction for assistance. “And being your fabulous, brilliant self. That’s all we need from you today. Just come down to the surface with us. It’s good for you every once in a while. No one at _all_ is saying that something will happen if you do.”

“And if something does happen? I know it’s rare, I do, but… what if?”

“Then that’s what we’re here for,” her mom said. “I’ll protect you, sweetheart. I _promise_.”

“I don’t want you to get in trouble because of me,” Naomi said sharply.

Ensign Wildman made a face, reminding her in a tone that Naomi knew was meant to lighten her mood, “It’s kind of my job.”

“It shouldn’t have to be! I don’t want it to be!”

“Then let’s get to a point where it _doesn’t_ have to be,” Lieutenant Torres broke in, putting a hand on Naomi’s shoulder. “Let’s show up to our own lives, and let’s _definitely_ not let other people – stupid people who don’t know us, and don’t know better – control what we do and don’t do.” She knelt down to Naomi’s level, whispering with fierce conviction in her voice, “ _Don’t_ let fear get the best of you, kid. You are so much better than that. You were born amidst a ship _falling apart_ , and you made it out alive. From day one, you could do what you put your mind to, so put your mind to this: always stand up for yourself – and your people, like the captain said – and fight if you need to, and never let anyone who doesn’t have your best interest at heart control what you do.” She must’ve seen in Naomi’s eyes what a tall order that sounded like, so she added, “But today, let’s start out small. Today, come down to the surface with us. If you don’t want to go with your mom, Tom and I will take you, if she’s okay with it.”

“You can come with me, too,” Captain Janeway pointed out. “I am more than willing to support anyone who wants to take even a small step towards a big goal – whichever goal you would like to keep in mind to help you right now, B’Elanna’s words or mine.”

Naomi looked at the captain, considering, but she didn’t make up her mind until she looked at Lieutenant Torres, at the half-concealed worry in her eyes and the hand that was resting subconsciously on her unborn child.

Ensign Wildman’s words rang in her ears: _“I’ll protect you, sweetheart. I promise.”_

_Did Lieutenant Torres already feel the need to protect her own baby? Probably._

If Naomi wasn’t ready to go back down to planets because it was good for _her_ , as she’d been told, then maybe she could at least manage to go down just to prove a point, to prove that she could, and, maybe, in some small way, to pave the way for those who came next, like Lieutenant Torres’ baby.

She sighed quietly, considering her options before she reached hesitantly for Captain Janeway’s hand and squeezed it with far more confidence than she felt. “Okay,” she met the captain’s gaze and nodded firmly. “Let’s do this.”

Captain Janeway nodded confidently, repeating, “Let’s do this.”


	2. Chapter 2

_A week later:_

“You… lost… her?” Ensign Wildman repeated, her tone slow and sharp with disbelief as she stared at the Doctor.

“Only a couple of minutes ago,” the Doctor attempted to calm her, but Samantha ignored his attempt.

“Do you have any idea how terrified she’s got to be right now? We’ve made _progress_ on getting her to come to planet surfaces with us, but that does not mean that she’s ready to be somewhere like this _alone_.”

“I’m sorry, ensign,” the Doctor said sincerely, clearly distressed as he and Ensign Wildman scanned the crowded town square they were in. “There was a scuffle on the other side of the square, Naomi and I both turned to look, and when I turned back to where she had been, she was gone.”

“Are you telling me that someone could’ve _taken_ her?” Samantha demanded.

“I don’t _know_.”

Pushing down her panic with a practiced force of will, Samantha tapped her comm badge, declaring, “Ensign Wildman to all hands in the town square: Does anyone see Naomi?”

Samantha was startled when she heard Lieutenant Paris behind her, saying, “Naomi’s safe with Lieutenant Torres and the captain.”

Samantha released the breath she’d been holding, turning to face the lieutenant. “Thank you,” she said gratefully.

He nodded, a smile playing about the edges of his mouth as he said, “I think you should come see this, though.” Beginning to lead Samantha and the Doctor to the edge of the square, he continued, “The captain, B’Elanna, and I were coming out of negotiations when we saw Naomi talking to some of the native people; they looked annoyed with her, so we went over to… possibly run interference.” He grinned at Samantha, announcing proudly, “Turns out she didn’t need our help.”

“I don’t understand,” Samantha admitted to her confusion.

In answer, Lieutenant Paris pressed a finger to his lips as the trio joined Captain Janeway and Lieutenant Torres in peering around the edge of a building and into the alley behind it.

Naomi appeared to be having an extremely civil disagreement with nearly-grown-adults that were twice her size, which was worrisome enough, but when the Doctor murmured, “Those are the people who caused a scuffle in the square,” Samantha began to strain to hear what was being said.

“It’s okay.” B’Elanna was grinning as she put a hand on Samantha’s arma to keep her where she was. “I think she’s got this under control.”

Finally, Samantha began to pick apart what was being said.

From one of the three teenagers: “—because ‘mixed-heritage’ is disgusting, that’s why!”

“Why?” Naomi replied innocently.

“Because it is!”

“But why?”

“Because she doesn’t belong here. She’s an interloper pretending she’s a part of our society.”

 _She_? Samantha looked at the wider scene now, rather than just zeroing in on Naomi, and saw that her daughter was standing between the teenagers and a much younger girl who was pressing her back against the opposite alley wall, clearly afraid.

“Is she a citizen of your world?” Naomi asked smoothly.

“Yes. So?”

“So, she is by default a member of your society. That is how citizenship works, isn’t it?”

The teenagers’ tempers were clearly fraying, and hearing the edge of sarcasm in Naomi’s question was enough for the apparent ringleader to take a step closer to her, hands clenching threateningly as he snapped, “Are you sure you wanna get smart with me, mudblood?”

Samantha’s nerves sang, and whatever response Naomi had in mind was lost as both Lieutenant Torres and Samantha sprang forward, Samantha shouting, “Hey!”

“Leave them alone,” Lieutenant Torres ordered calmly, and as the other crew members stepped into the teenagers’ line of sight, she let their presence speak for itself.

As Samantha would expect from people who chose to bully mere children, the teenagers turned and lumbered warily from the alley, effecting false ease as they muttered useless threats.

A native man suddenly pushed past her, calling, “Katina!” and the child Naomi had been defending ran into his arms.

“Papa!”

“You can’t wander away like that, little one,” he rebuked quietly, holding her close. He turned to include Naomi, Samantha, and her crewmates in a sweeping gaze as he said, “Thank you for coming to her aid.”

Naomi only nodded as she walked to her mother, and she was trembling as Samantha put a hand on her shoulder.

“You’re welcome,” Captain Janeway replied, and then the father left with his obviously mixed-species child.

Naomi watched the girl throw her arms around her father’s neck as they left, and a yearning flashed through her daughter’s eyes that made Samantha ache.

With perfect timing, the Doctor stepped between Naomi and her view of the little family, looking worriedly down on her as he repeated, “You can’t wander away like that, little one.”

Naomi drew in a silent breath before she visibly turned her thoughts from where they’d gone – to Gres, Samantha knew – and back to the EMH. “I’m sorry if I worried you, Doctor. I just—I saw what was happening in the square, and that when she ran away from them, they doubled back to follow her, and I—she’s so little; I wanted to help her before something happened to her.”

“Of course you did,” Samantha said, hugging her daughter from behind. “And I’m glad, but you really shouldn’t run off and do things like that by yourself. You’re old enough to know better, aren’t you?”

Naomi nodded, repeating, “I am sorry I worried you.”

 _Not that she had done it, though_ , Samantha noted. She chose not to comment on that omission.

“Apology accepted,” she replied.

Letting the moment pass, Captain Janeway pointed out, “We’d better beam back. It’s almost time for us to get going again. Janeway to Voyager: five to beam up.”

Once they were back aboard the ship, Lieutenant Paris leaned closer to Naomi as they walked off the transporter pad, saying quietly enough that only those nearest them could hear, “Your dad would be very proud of you, you know. And for whatever it’s worth, since you were the first baby born aboard this ship, and that makes you ‘ship’s baby’ too, as you well know, I think it’s worth it to point out that we’re very proud of you, too.” He pointed discreetly to the captain and Lieutenant Torres to include them in his statement. “Worried for you, yes, but proud that you stood up for what you believe in and stood up for someone else.”

“Thank you, but… I didn’t really, though,” Naomi said, still trying to completely calm down. “I don’t think I would’ve fought them if it came down to it. I just held them off until real help got there.”

“But you faced them,” Captain Janeway pointed out, smiling encouragingly at Naomi. “And that is a great start.”

“A great start to what?” Naomi asked hesitantly.

Samantha slid an arm around her daughter’s shoulders from her right as Captain Janeway did the same from her left while the captain considered her question. “I guess,” she admitted as they walked out of the transporter room. “That remains to be seen, doesn’t it? But whatever it is,” Captain Janeway winked at Naomi. “I’m sure it’s going to be exemplary.”


End file.
